MONTEVALLO, Ala. – No. 20 UWF Baseball (28-14, 18-6 GSC) snapped its three-game losing streak at exactly the right moment Friday evening, opening a pivotal GSC series at Montevallo (30-14, 16-8 GSC) with a convincing 12-2 win in seven innings. Nick Kerkmann finished with four RBIs, Matt Estrada racked up three doubles, and Tony Kucera turned in a complete game four-hitter to power the win.
"It's big, and that's how you've got to start every conference series, you hope, is with a W," said UWF head coach Mike Jeffcoat. "It puts us in a position for the series win. So we've got to come out with the same intensity tomorrow."
The Argos opened the scoring early. Kerkmann tagged UM starter Cas Silber for his first of two doubles in the game, scoring Matthew Jones and Matt Sullivan to make it 2-0 in the first. The Argos added two more in the second. Brandon Harmon picked up an RBI with a triple that scored Trevor Payne, and Estrada added a double of his own to score Harmon and make it 4-0. Silber (8-4) would go on to suffer the loss after allowing five runs (five earned) on seven hits while pitching into the sixth.
"We liked that we were able to get on the board right in the first inning and tack on two more in the second," said Jeffcoat. "Just swung the bats up and down the lineup, something we hadn't done for a week now. Great way to start the series."
Kucera allowed a two-run home run to Mark Castellucci in the bottom of the second but otherwise held the Falcons in check. The lefty spun seven innings, allowing only four hits. He struck out six and walked one. The complete game was his team-best second of the season.
"He just filled the zone up again and really changed speeds well," said Jeffcoat. "[Montevallo] is the kind of team you've got to be able to throw offspeed for strikes, and he was able to do that. Once again he gives our team a chance to win."
The Argos scored six times on eight hits in the sixth to cement the win. With the lead at 12-2 after 7, the conference run-rule was triggered.
Kerkmann finished 3 for 5 with two doubles, four RBIs and one run scored. Estrada finished 3 for 4 and recorded the first three-double game of his college career. Jones finished 2 for 5 with three runs and one RBI. Payne was 1 for 3 with three runs and one RBI. Harmon finished 3 for 4 with three runs scored and one RBI. Eight of the Argos' 16 hits were for extra-bases.
With the win, the Argos moved into second place in the GSC standings, 1.5 games behind conference leader Delta State, 0.5 games in front of third-place North Alabama and 1.5 games ahead of fourth-place Mississippi College and 2.0 games in front of fifth-place Montevallo.
The Argos and Falcons close the series tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. UWF is expected to start Dylan Mills-Derouen (4-0, 1.81 ERA) and Trace Penton (0-1, 7.36 ERA).
"We're going to go with Mills in Game 1, and we're going to give Penton his first start this year," said Jeffcoat. "He's had experience, and we wanted to break up the lefties a little bit... We're hoping that combo can get it done for us tomorrow."
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